1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to fishing products and, more specifically, to a free spool controller for a fishing reel.
2. Description of the Background
Sailfish and marlin are among the most prized sport fishing trophy fish in existence, largely because they fight aggressively, launching themselves out of the water over and over again. However, catching a sailfish and/or marlin is no simple task. It takes great finesse. Typically, a heavy duty lever-drag reel is spooled with over 400 yards of 20-30 pound test monofilament, and ballyhoo, pilchards, threadfin herring or goggle eyes are used as bait. The bait may be drifted, slow trolled or fished from a kite, and in all such cases the reel is generally kept in a normal drag position until a fish strikes. Both sailfish and marlin are notoriously sensitive when they first take the bait. Just the slightest tug on the line when the fish comes upon the bait can result in them mouthing it, and then dropping it. For this reason, most anglers immediately release the reel drag to free spool with the clickers on, or with the bail open. The fish will pull the line in free spool as it runs with the bait, and it will not be pulled out of its mouth. However, within 5-10 seconds of the strike, the drag lever must be returned to the strike position and the hook set, or chances are that the fish will escape. This precisely-choreographed sequence sounds easy, but is very difficult to implement in practice. Sailfish and marlin tend to strike when the anglers are sitting around relaxing, and many are lost because the anglers are slow to the rod. This problem is especially acute for elderly anglers who are not as spry and cannot always jump to the rod within seconds of a strike. It would be helpful to automate the process of switching modes from drag to free spool and back, within a set interval after the fish strikes. While there have been prior efforts to electrically-control a fishing reel, none are for the foregoing purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,793 to Takeshi Ikuta issued Mar. 13, 2007, shows an electric circuit for controlling a fishing reel spool, primarily to prevent backlash. A rotor having four magnets is disposed on the spool's shaft, and surrounding the rotor are coils. This rotor assembly is used to both generate electricity and brake the spool.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,076 to John J. Daniels issued Apr. 4, 2000, shows an anti-backlashing fishing reel. A line sensor generates a signal based upon the tension in the line to control the electronically variable brake. Depending upon the signal, the variable brake will apply a force to the spool to resist rotation to prevent an overrun.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,417 to John Wun-Sing Chu issued Nov. 3, 1998, shows electronic circuitry that takes input data, such as the outside diameter of the spool, the tension in the line, and the length of the released line, to determine whether the drag should be increased or decreased. The drag mechanism is engaged through constricting forces created by SMA wire that is controlled by the electronic circuitry.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,194 to John N. Young issued Jul. 10, 1990, shows casting reel with a dynamically controlled variable casting drag. A magnetic disc is connected to the spool shaft, and when the disc rotates with the shaft, an electrical coil produces an output signal. An electric circuit receives the signal and produces a drag signal based on the output signal, and the drag signal is used to control an electronic brake.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,492 to Takashi Atobe issued Dec. 13, 1988, shows a reel having a revolution sensor device. The device includes magnets located on the spool and Hall effect sensors opposing the magnets. An on-board microcomputer uses the generated signal to calculate line length.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,131 to Furomoto issued Jun. 15, 1993 shows a fishing reel with electronic drag measurement for notifying the user of the exact braking force of a drag mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,722 to Christopher K. Kreuser et al. issued Jul. 2, 2002, shows a bait cast fishing reel having a sensor to generate signals representing rotation of the spool. The sensor is coupled to a controller. Using the spool rotation signals, the controller generates a control signal that is transmitted to the breaking mechanism. The breaking mechanism comprises an electric solenoid that engages a brake pad with the spool when casting to prevent backlash.
None of the foregoing references nor any other known prior art suggests an automatic electronic drag/free spool control system that is capable of incorporation into an otherwise conventional lever-drag reel to selectively release, and then reapply drag a predetermined interval after a fish strike. FIG. 1 is an illustration of a conventional “big water” lever drag reel, and FIG. 2 details the internal spool, spindle and brake washer of FIG. 1.
Such reels typically seat a rotatable spool 2 inside a unitary open frame 3. The spool 2 is rotatably carried on a spindle 6, and a hand crank 4 turns the spool 2 on the spindle 6 via an internal gear mechanism. A lever 5 allows preset of the desired drag from far left (0% drag) to far right (100% drag). As seen in FIG. 2, the lever 5 extends and/or retracts the internal spindle 6 which in turn moves a brake washer 7 located at the opposing side of the reel, the brake washer 7 acting as a disc brake against the side of spool 2. The brake washer 7 may be pre-biased toward the spool 2 by a spring or Belleview washer. When more drag is required, moving lever 5 clockwise retracts spindle 6, thereby compressing the Belleview washer and biasing brake washer 7 harder against the spool 2 and requiring more pull to release line. When less drag is required, moving lever 5 counterclockwise extends spindle 6, thereby easing off the brake washer 7 and requiring less pull to release line. The reel is set to free spool when the lever 5 is pulled all the way counterclockwise and all drag on the spool 2 is released. The reel is set to maximum drag when the lever 5 is moved fully clockwise from free spool position. Typically there is a spring-loaded (detent) button two thirds along the path of travel of the lever 5, known as a strike button 9. In addition, a stationary screw-post 8 acts as a stop demarcating the full free spool position. The reel is set to strike or “normal drag” when the lever 5 is moved clockwise from free spool position 8 and hits the strike button 9. This is where anglers fight fish, and is designed to demarcate a drag setting equal to 33% of the line rating. If desired, the strike stop button 9 can be depressed allowing the angler to move the lever 5 forward to maximum drag, although max drag is typically higher than the line rating and results in broken fishing line. This is the basic footprint of a conventional lever drag fishing reel as referred to herein, although some conventional reels have equivalent free spool buttons in place of lever 5. In practice, anglers will keep the lever 5 at the strike button 9 while trolling, kite fishing, or jigging. If a fish strikes, the angler must immediately place the lever 5 in free spool position 8 allowing the fish to run with the bait in free spool so as not to pull the bait out of its mouth. Then, within 5-10 seconds of the strike, the drag lever 5 must be returned to the strike position 9 and the hook set, or the fish will escape. This precisely-choreographed sequence is very difficult to implement in practice, especially if the anglers are seated at a distance and not as spry as they once were, or deep in conversation when the fish strikes.